Rena Wertzer, Barbara Hanon, Lisa Solomon and Paula Logan noticed the odd circular growths on Spring Beauty leaves. All I know is that they look like tiny cup-fungi with a star-like pattern along each cup's rim. They look like Ascomyceteous cups parasitic on the substrate, but Ascomycete specialist Roz Lowen informs me that this is a rust fungus, a Teliomycete. It would be interesting to know if they are specific to this particular plant or if they have other hosts. As we moved across the forest we noticed that the fungus was ubiquitous on Spring Beauty. None of us recall noticing it in previous years. Perhaps that is due more to the fact that we were successfully focused on morels and were blind to everything else!

05/13/10 John Plischke informs me that this rust fungus is called Puccinia mariae wilsoni. However, he says "I have heard the french caniadians call it Puccinia claytoniata we have a discussion going on about it. "